Budapest

Crazy adventure in the last 24 hours or so.



So last night, a travelling buddy and I had planned to take the night train from Prague to Budapest. We figured it would be cool since it was like a nine hour train ride and we could sleep on the sleeper trains and not have to pay for a hostel.



At around 10:30PM we leave the Prague hostel and head to the train station. We get there at around 11:00 and board the train at around 11:10 for an 11:35 departure. I thought this would be great since all the trains I had gotten on thus far usually started boarding like 10 minutes before departure. We'd be able to hop into our compartment and just take it easy. Goodness was I wrong.



It turns out they had overbooked the sleeper carriage we were on. After giving our ticket to the young, little conductor guy, we got onto the train and entered one of those super small hallways you see trains with rooms might have. Two people walking in opposite directions have to go sideways to pass. Imagine me with my huge ass backpack. Going sideways doesn't help. And to make matters worse, there's a crowd in the hallway because of the mixup. Two foreigners end up leaving before the train departs. There are two people in the room that me and my travelling buddy are booked to be in. This isn't good.



While trying to figure out what the hell is going on (everyone is speaking in Czech and we have no f***ing clue what anyone is saying), this fat guy is trying to walk down past us. He's able to pass by my friend who is asking the guys in our room what's happening. But I'm thinking to myself, "There's no way in hell this fat guy is gonna pass me." We try to figure it out. I back up a little and luckily, it seems, there's this open room with a lady in there wondering what the commotion is about.



I back up and try to get the guy to go into the room so that I can pass. There's a little bit of pushing going on when I think to myself, "Do I have my wallet?" So I check for it. It's not there.



"Hey! Where's my wallet!?" And then I shove the guy into the room. I set down my backpack and ask again "Where's my wallet!?" It's a bit easier to move now that I have my backpack off. Then suddenly he pulls out this little pocket knife. I ask him where my wallet is again and then in an instant he sort of comes toward me. I grabbed the arm holding the knife to keep it away and then elbow him in the nose. And then I pull down his head into my knee and he drops the knife and I quickly pick it up. He stays hunched over and gives me my wallet back. Then we waited for the police to get there.



That's the exciting story.



Haha. The real story goes like this: The fat guy got my wallet and I yelled "Hey! Where's my wallet!?" and pushed him. Then he gave it back to me and he just kept going. I warned the others behind me but I didn't want any trouble so didn't call the police or anything. Haha. Way more boring, huh.



But that was just the beginning of our interesting night. Because of the overbooking, my friend and I and the chinese couple are the only ones left without a room for like an hour. Eventually, the conductor guy figures out a way for us to get a room and we get one. We're able to settle in and go to sleep.



But then there's a bunch of knocks on the door. It's passport checking time. They bang on your doors loudly. Then my friend went to go use the toilet and the conductor tells him that he's going to have to add another person to our room (it sleeps 3). So we're waiting for a new roommate when someone knocks on the door again. It's the conductor and he says "Problem," and then closes the door. Another banging on the door comes. This time, it's a guy maybe 4 inches taller than me. He doesn't see me because I'm on the top bunk but he asks my friend for help. "Do you have a weapon? Help me fight."



The fat guy tried to strike again.



After that, we just closed our door and locked it up. My friend slept with his knife by him. I just slept. Haha. Crazy night. I was pooped.